U.N. Names 2016 "Year of the Pulses," the Superfood You've Eaten But Never Heard Of

The United Nations has its finger on the pulse (quite literally) this year. The organization declared 2016 International Year of Pulses to highlight the nutritional and environmental benefits of the superfood. (In this case, "pulse" is a fancy term referring to any food that grows in a pod. Think: beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas.)

So, it really is true that beans, beans are good for your heart. They come with a bunch of other benefits too: They're a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and iron. Researchers have also found some chemicals in pulses help fight cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. All it takes is a half cup of beans or peas per day to see an impact. Nutritional and health benefits of pulses. Mudryj AN, Yu N, Aukema HM. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquée, nutrition et métabolisme, 2014, Jun.;39(11):1715-5320.

They're also great for the environment. Pulses have a tiny carbon footprint and make soil more fertile (since they can generate their own nitrogen). Just make sure you have some Beano on hand because, well, you know how the rest of that infamous saying goes.